SV OU First time I hit 1600. Was it luck? (Edit: Now almost in Top 500!)

[DifferentDimensionVanessa]

Proof:

I don't remember if this the first time I hit 1600, but most likely it is.

(Maushold) @ Wide Lens
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tidy Up
- Population Bomb
- Bite
- Encore

Maushold is my typical lead, and no one is prepared for it. Population B. does so much damage, even to walls or Pokemon that resist it, and, well, if more people realized what Maushold does and immediately switched in something with a Rocky Helmet, then, I surely would never reach 1600 ELO. Maushold has managed to reach a much higher ELO. Maushold is unable to handle Garganacl in early or mid-game regardless of whether or not I'm facing one with a Rocky Helmet or Leftovers. On the low ladder, Encore Maushold is capable of sweeping entire teams. I didn't even bother to see how Loaded Dice and Population Bomb is coded, but I feel like I always, almost ALWAYS get the maximum possible amount of hits on it. Using Tidy Up whenever possible is important so that I can later have better odds to outrun Booster Energy --> Quark Drive: Speed/Protosynthesis: Speed.

CA $Vaness82love (Volcarona) (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 80 HP / 132 Def / 44 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Tera Blast

I can't play in OU without this thing. Earlier RMTs, or maybe standard sets, utilize Timid with no SpA and much more Defense. I run more offense because unlike early Gen 9 OU, I have missed out on KOs in more some recent games without the extra power, including on some Walking Wake -- but then again, when I used a Defensive & Timid Volcarona myself, I had to use Fire moves with more Power than Fiery Dance, so this is the compromise made with Volcarona sweeps: run Modest, or run non-Fiery Dance. More SpA also increases the HP recovered from Giga Drain, so it's not much to complain about. The first thing I look at on an opponent's team is to see how weak they are to Volcarona.

Tag Force (Dondozo) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 108 Def / 144 SpD
Impish Nature
- Liquidation
- Body Press
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Rest and Sleep Talk see very little use. Dondozo is here to prevent losses against anything that can set up, and it and Skarmory together can remove enough HP from any physical attacker that my Pokemon can't contain by themselves. Dondozo is not a good pivot but effective in preventing sweeps. As I wrote this, I realized I could consider physical Clodsire here to address the threats at the bottom of my RMT, but I hesitate because it's not like Psychic-type attackers can give me a tough time sometimes. Like maybe Mixed Hoopa Unbound.

Wild Trader (Dragapult) @ Leftovers
Ability: Infiltrator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- Will-O-Wisp

The EVs have HP because there have been several cases when I barely survived a hit but could have lost the Dragapult to RNG. Max ATK and Tera Ghost is for sweeping even through Hatterene. Tera Ghost as opposed to any other offensive or defensive Tera is there in consideration of Extreme Speed Dragonite, so that even after I tera, I can't be revenge'd. I have never been a speed tie with another Dragapult. There have been many moments when I wish I had Hex instead, but you know what, it seems Dragapult can only sweep a whole team with two STABs, though it only happens 1 out of every 10 victories. Infiltrator is good on this team, as I have Tidy Up to remove Sticky Web.

(Kingambit) @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 232 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Kowtow Cleave
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

Don't know why everyone uses Tera Offense Kingambit. A Tera Water or Fairy Kingambit is capable of setting up for and KO'ing its usual counter, Great Tusk! It's easy to predict Great Tusk coming in, too. However, if Supreme Overlord is at 0/5, and the opposing Great Tusk is Protosynthesis: Attack, AND its first attack does not reduce its own Defense (Headlong Rush, Close Combat), then, with all these things combined, the Kingambit has a chance to lose. I don't remember the reason I don't use Flying, but it's probably Raging Bolt, who opponents like to save until the end or after they remove my Tera Ground Volcarona. A minor bit of speed is there to outrun low speed Kingambit.

Galaxy Spatula (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Roost
- Spikes

While I played with this team, this final slot kept changing. I was so happy when Archaludon got banned, as the only reason Skarmory was rotated out was that Archaludon kept killing it. Skarmory does almost nothing towards Ghosts and is often a low-momentum Pokemon against 50% of teams and an above-average pick against every other team. I could use any Pokemon in this sixth slot, but since two of the top used Pokemon (or the best two Pokemon in OU) are Great Tusk and Kingambit, I would want to ensure this slot has a good matchup against both, before fulfilling niches. EVs are a default or copied set.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Choice Scarf Walking Wake or Protosynthesis: Speed Walking Wake is a bit of a threat to my team. One of my rounds in the 1500s before I hit 1600 featured a Draco Meteor Walking Wake, and the only reason I didn't lose that battle was because its Draco Meteor missed. Walking Wake can hit Skarmory, Volcarona, Kingambit, and Dondozo can't hit it hard. If that Draco Meteor connected, or if the opponent had two Dragon moves and just clicked the more accurate one, I wouldn't be here today.

Even though I have a couple of ways to KO Garganacl, like Tera Blast Volcarona or Iron Head Kingambit -- even if it were Tera Fairy, I find that I very often lose to teams that have it because it's a whole core featuring Garganacl that has to be taken down. The stack of rocks will not just sit there and let Kingambit Iron Head into it. Garganacl can even set up Iron Defense on my Skarmory to outlast it. So nacl is a threat.

 

[DifferentDimensionVanessa]

I cannot beat Sun. Lost several rounds to the next big weather team after Rain. I don't belong in the 1600s. Not without changes for Walking Wake or full sun.

Edit: Re-entered 1600s by changing Skarm to Tera Steel Defensive Primarina.
Now I have two water-types on this team. My Tera-Dark Dondozo is good for preventing Manaphy sweeps, but I am a little worried about the redundancy of two Water types.

 

[Winterbub]

Congrats on hitting 1600! I would generally try to avoid phantom force on pult when possible (unless its something you just enjoy using) another great option could be hex to take advantage of it spreading status with will-o!

 

[DifferentDimensionVanessa]

Congrats on hitting 1600! I would generally try to avoid phantom force on pult when possible (unless its something you just enjoy using) another great option could be hex to take advantage of it spreading status with will-o!

Even though it's a Dragon Dance set? I used to use Hex only on the utility set as I thought that's the way it should be -- a utility set with Substitute and Will-o-Wisp to catch everything but sweep through very little. Since Gholdengo cannot be burned, I intend to just DD+Phantom Force when trying to sweep through it.

Also, if I remember correctly, the Utility Dragapult set also uses Heavy-Duty Boots. However, I'm running Leftovers, which can restore my HP a bit any time I Phantom Force. Do you know if any high-ranked players don't abide by these principles when playing Dragapult?

To better handle Garganacl, I have Substitute on the Primarina that replaced Skarmory. I've also replaced Dondozo with defensive Extreme Speed Dragonite. I reached 1641 with these changes, though Dragonite only sees play to prevent sweeps.

 

[DaRotomMachine]

Even though it's a Dragon Dance set? I used to use Hex only on the utility set as I thought that's the way it should be -- a utility set with Substitute and Will-o-Wisp to catch everything but sweep through very little. Since Gholdengo cannot be burned, I intend to just DD+Phantom Force when trying to sweep through it.

Also, if I remember correctly, the Utility Dragapult set also uses Heavy-Duty Boots. However, I'm running Leftovers, which can restore my HP a bit any time I Phantom Force. Do you know if any high-ranked players don't abide by these principles when playing Dragapult?

To better handle Garganacl, I have Substitute on the Primarina that replaced Skarmory. I've also replaced Dondozo with defensive Extreme Speed Dragonite. I reached 1641 with these changes, though Dragonite only sees play to prevent sweeps.

Tera Blast Tera Ghost is usually the way to go if you're running physical Dragapult

 

[Winterbub]

Even though it's a Dragon Dance set? I used to use Hex only on the utility set as I thought that's the way it should be -- a utility set with Substitute and Will-o-Wisp to catch everything but sweep through very little. Since Gholdengo cannot be burned, I intend to just DD+Phantom Force when trying to sweep through it.

Also, if I remember correctly, the Utility Dragapult set also uses Heavy-Duty Boots. However, I'm running Leftovers, which can restore my HP a bit any time I Phantom Force. Do you know if any high-ranked players don't abide by these principles when playing Dragapult?

To better handle Garganacl, I have Substitute on the Primarina that replaced Skarmory. I've also replaced Dondozo with defensive Extreme Speed Dragonite. I reached 1641 with these changes, though Dragonite only sees play to prevent sweeps.

Personally, even on dragon dance, I prefer mixed Dragapult. It helps breaking things Great Tusk, Corviknight, Skarm, Zamazenta, Dondozo, and Gliscor. But at the end of the day if something is working for you I wouldn't change it.

 

[Ehmcee]

Hey there! Cool team and congrats on breaking 1600's! I think there's a few changes you could make here that would greatly improve the team.

Major Changes:

->


Primarina @ Leftovers / Custap Berry
Ability: Liquid Voice
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Modest Nature
- Psychic Noise
- Moonblast
- Encore
- Flip Turn

You mentionned changing Skarmory for Primarina already, but I included this anyway. On Bulky Offensive teams like this, teams usually greatly appreciate some kind of pivot, and Dondozo is very much a momentum sink for the rest of your offensive team. This Primarina greatly improves your matchup into both Dragapult, Walking Wake, Ogerpon-W and Garganacl, while also running fast Encore to beat Kingambit in endgame scenarios. Item is up to you, Custap Berry is a neat tech that's been growing in the tournament scene, but Leftovers is much easier to use.

->


Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 244 HP / 156 Atk / 96 SpD / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Earthquake
- Protect

Running Spikes on a Maushold team is kind of an issue, since what little progress you might make with Spikes Skarmory is at risk of getting removed by your own Tidy Up. This Gliscor acts as a great lead option instead of Maushold, since most people expect bulky hazard setting, you can start SDing in their face and become an incredibly powerful breaker. The Attack EV's are to guarantee a 2HKO or an OHKO at +2 with Earthquake against Iron Valiant, while the little Speed is just to outspeed opposing Gliscor.


Minor Changes:

Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Flame Body
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Tera Blast
- Morning Sun

Tera Dragon Volcarona is incredible in the current metagame filled to the brim with Dragons, it gains you a ton of useful resistances, but mainly Fire and Water which greatly improves your matchup into Rain and Sun teams. This set tends to 6-0 sun extremely often, while also having an incredible matchup into Rain as well. Morning Sun gives you great longetivity since Fiery Dance / Tera Blast Dragon hit a large majority of the metagame at least neutrally, with the only real issues you'll experience being Skeledirge, Dondozo, Clodsire and Primarina. If you're feeling risky, Leftovers is an option over Heavy-Duty-Boots, which becomes a viable option due to the surefire removal of Tidy Up thanks to Maushold.


Dragapult @ Focus Sash
Ability: Infiltrator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Hex
- Thunder Wave
- Will-O-Wisp

Instead of running DD Dragapult, Sash Double Status Pult works wonders here, and pairs incredibly well with Tidy Up Maushold, either keeping it's sash intact from hazards, or keeping it on 1% so it can come back later safely. This mon beats pretty much every sweeper 1v1, and will usually be able to status at least 2 mons on the opposite team. Tera Ghost simply boosts your breaking power with Hex.


Kingambit @ Air Balloon
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Kowtow Cleave
- Iron Head

This just changes Kingambit to a speedy Tera Flying variant, which tends to face off a lot better into most of the meta. Tera Flying tends to be a lot more consistent against Great Tusk, while Air Balloon improves to Great Tusk matchup while simulteanously giving you outs against Kyurem, Roaring Moon, Landorus-T, Ursaluna and non-Knock Gliscor.

Overall, I think this team is kinda flames, if I had one suggestion it would be to use Dragapult or Gliscor as your main leads. Maushold tends to provide to the team a lot more if it stays in the back and acts as a hazard cleaner once an opposing hazard lead goes down in HO matchups, allowing you to remove Tspikes from Glimmora while also becoming an offensive behemoth.

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/248a62fdec6b5c23

 

[DifferentDimensionVanessa]

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 244 HP / 156 Atk / 96 SpD / 12 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Earthquake
- Protect

Running Spikes on a Maushold team is kind of an issue, since what little progress you might make with Spikes Skarmory is at risk of getting removed by your own Tidy Up. This Gliscor acts as a great lead option instead of Maushold, since most people expect bulky hazard setting, you can start SDing in their face and become an incredibly powerful breaker. The Attack EV's are to guarantee a 2HKO or an OHKO at +2 with Earthquake against Iron Valiant, while the little Speed is just to outspeed opposing Gliscor.

What is the Gliscor set (or adjustment to this set) that is the most helpful when dealing Garganacl and partners of Gnacl / Terastalized Garganacl? I noticed you didn't add Substitute, which would stop Salt Cure's secondary effect.

 

[Ehmcee]

What is the Gliscor set (or adjustment to this set) that is the most helpful when dealing Garganacl and partners of Gnacl / Terastalized Garganacl? I noticed you didn't add Substitute, which would stop Salt Cure's secondary effect.

Frankly, Gliscor doesn't really care about Salt Cure that much, you can kind of just SD up and eventually break through Garg, unless it's like, ID. If they start cursing up a lot, it leaves them vulnerable to Encore Primarina. WIth that + Kingambit in the back, I don't think your Garg matchup is that bad.

 

[DifferentDimensionVanessa]

Dragapult @ Focus Sash
Ability: Infiltrator
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Hex
- Thunder Wave
- Will-O-Wisp

Instead of running DD Dragapult, Sash Double Status Pult works wonders here, and pairs incredibly well with Tidy Up Maushold, either keeping it's sash intact from hazards, or keeping it on 1% so it can come back later safely. This mon beats pretty much every sweeper 1v1, and will usually be able to status at least 2 mons on the opposite team. Tera Ghost simply boosts your breaking power with Hex

As someone who has used Dual Status on a lot of Pokemon, including, iirc, Dual Status Heatran in an older gen, I am really interested in this idea. However, I am having some trouble being mentally present or imaginative enough to understand why the Dragapult that I face are using T-Wave over Will-o-Wisp. and why I would use it (other than more accuracy). The only Pokemon I can think of where T-Wave is inherently better is Ceruledge, which, after removing Skarmory, I'm not worried about. What battle logic am I missing here?

Also, I was surprised to see you run max SpA Primarina. Are there any SpA EVs that can perform KOs/2HKOs with Liquid Voice?

 

[Ehmcee]

As someone who has used Dual Status on a lot of Pokemon, including, iirc, Dual Status Heatran in an older gen, I am really interested in this idea. However, I am having some trouble being mentally present or imaginative enough to understand why the Dragapult that I face are using T-Wave over Will-o-Wisp. and why I would use it (other than more accuracy). The only Pokemon I can think of where T-Wave is inherently better is Ceruledge, which, after removing Skarmory, I'm not worried about. What battle logic am I missing here?

Also, I was surprised to see you run max SpA Primarina. Are there any SpA EVs that can perform KOs/2HKOs with Liquid Voice?

While they might seem that they have very similar purposes, you can definitely use the two statuses in very different ways. Primarily, T-Wave is almost always going to be a better pick into special attackers. You generally should be thinking "Would I rather this mon have halved speed, or halved attack?", you also get additional bonuses in the chip damage of burn and the paralysis chance of T-Wave (which i think T-Wave's is generally better). T-Wave is often going to be your move of choice against setup sweepers that boost their speed, even when burned they often can grow out of control after some Dragon Dances, T-Wave offers you a more reliable way to revenge kill these sweepers, while also being more accurate!

I think the specific move to pick isn't as easy as just saying "T-Wave is always better into this mon than Will-O", it's generally up to you to understand which option is more valuable. For example, if you see a Roaring Moon that's starting to Dragon Dance up, you can T-Wave it to revenge kill it with Maushold. T-Wave is also especially good into Non-Tera Ground Volcarona, allowing Dragapult to be one of it's best checks, since you can hit it hard with Dragon Darts after a Para. T-Wave tends to be a better option against most hyper offensive teams, as well as almost always being the better option into special attackers, mons like Roaring Moon, Iron Boulder, Iron Valiant, Gouging Fire and Walking Wake all become incredibly crippled if they get paralyzed, allowing you to outspeed some of them with the rest of your team safely.

When it comes to EV's on Primarina, I'd say you can change them up if you'd like, max SpA is just to have the largest damage output, but you can probably spec into HP instead if you'd prefer. I'd say the speed is the only non negotiable thing there.